FIFA president Gianni Infantino has made it abundantly clear that he expects Iran to participate at this summer’s World Cup, insisting there is “no plan B, C or D” when presented with alternative suggestions to the schedule going ahead as previously outlined.
Iran’s involvement has been called into question amid the ongoing conflict with the U.S., one of the three World Cup co-hosts alongside Mexico and Canada. There have been several contradictory statements released by different Iranian officials across the month of March, veering from a complete withdrawal to defiant participation. A major complicating factor is that all three of Iran’s group games are set to be staged in the U.S.
